Boeing’s second 777X successfully completed its first flight last Thursday, departing from Everett, Washington, and landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field (BFI) after 2 hours and 58 minutes in the air. According to Boeing, the aircraft will be used to “test handling characteristics and other aspects of airplane performance.” It is the second of a planned four-aircraft dedicated flight test fleet.
“To date, crews have flown the first airplane nearly 100 hours at a variety of flap settings, speeds, altitudes and system settings as part of the initial evaluation of the flight envelope,” Boeing said. “With initial airworthiness now demonstrated, the team can safely add personnel to monitor testing onboard instead of relying solely on a ground-based telemetry station, unlocking testing at greater distances.”
The GE9X-powered 777X family includes the 777-8 and 777-9. The -8 will seat 384 passengers in a two-class configuration and have a range of 8,730 NM. The -9 will seat 426 passengers with a range of 7,285 NM. As previously reported by AVweb, the 777X flew for the first time last January. Boeing expects to begin deliveries in 2021.
